Drum handling attachment for fork lift trucks



March 22, 1960 w. w. CUSHMAN DRUM HANDLING ATTACHMENT FOR FORK LIFT TRUCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 11, 1959 INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 22, 1960 w. w. CUSHMAN 2,929,523

DRUM HANDLING ATTACHMENT FOR FORK LIFT TRUCKS Filed March 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 15 V {5 l T V all vWays? INVENTOR Wa Zion WCus/zman ATTORNEY DRUM HANDLING ATTACHMENT FOR FORK LIFT TRUCKS Walton W. Cushman, Webb City, Mo.

Application March 11, 1959, Serial No. 798,792

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-651) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. .166)

The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a drum handling attachment for fork lift trucks. It has to do with improved means for attachment to a conventional fork lift type truck for handling a steel drum or two steel drums for the purpose of transferring or transporting the drum or drums from one location to another location with ease and facility.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved means of the foregoing character which is capable of handling drums quickly and efficiently whether they are lying on their side or standing on end.

Another object of the invention is to provide a steel drum handling attachment capable of being quickly mounted upon the lift fork or forks of a conventional industrial truck and likewise one which can be readily detached therefrom.

A further object is to provide vacuum or suction creating container handling means adapted to be attached to a conventional fork lift truck for picking up, transporting, and lowering to the ground, or other supporting surface, steel drums or other metallic or non-metallic containers; another object being to provide a sturdy attachment of relatively simple construction, having a minimum of parts, and one which is eflicient in use and economical to operate and maintain.

The foregoing and other objects and advantagesof the present invention will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings'forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a conventional fork lift truck having the attachment of the present invention applied thereto and being shown about to pick up a metal drum resting on its side;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of. the truck of Fig. 1," being shown with its suction or vacuum attachment gripping the metal drum;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the attachment in engagement with an upright drum;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the'drum handling attachment of the present inventiom'operatively mounted upon both forks of the truck;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged lengthwise vertical section of one of the drum handling attachments mounted upon a fork;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged crosswise vertical section of the attachment-of Fig. 5; 1 :.v

Fig. 7 is abottom planview of the attachment, taken substantially along the line 7 7 ofFig 5, looking in the direction of the arrowsyand Pig. 8 is an "enlarged fragmentary sectional view ited States Patent TO 2,929,523 Patented Mar. 22, 1960 'ice through the rubber tube or hose of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, showing its relationship to the attachment and a drum head.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. It is to be understood also that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, there is shown, fragmentarily, a conventional industrial fork lift truck to which a drum handling attachment embodying the present invention has been applied. The lift truck is shown as a whole at 10 and includes the usual mast ll containing a reciprocable carriage (not shown).to which there is attached a plate 12. The plate 12 provides means for supporting a pair of lift forks, or tines 13. The lift truck also includes a power plant and vacuum pump assembly, shown as a Whole at 14 in Fig. 1. The truck is, of course, provided with the usual steering mechanism and with suitable hand and foot-operated controls, all of which are conventional and therefore need not be described in detail herein.

Each of the forwardly extending portions of the forks or tines 13 carries at its free end a sleeve-like support or member 15 which is telescoped over the end portion of the fork and removably attached thereto by means of a setscrew 16, see particularly Fig. 5 of the drawings. The improved drum handling attachment, of which the support 15 forms a removable part, is indicated as a whole at 17 and is shown in detail in'Figs. 5 through 8 of the drawings. As shown, it comprises a round, solid metal vacuum head member, or body portion 18 having formed in its under surface a circular groove or depression 19. The top surface or face of the body 18 has integral parallel upstanding ribs 20 which extend longitudinally of the attachment 17, when viewed in Figs. 4, 5

and 7 of the drawings. In addition, transversely extending ribs, or cross members 21 and provided on the upper face or surface of the body portion 18 and, as clearly seen in Figs. 4 and 7, extend at substantially right angles to the longitudinal ribs 20.

The forward end portion of each support member 15 is closed and preferably rounded, see Fig. 5, and has a transversely extending bore 22. The parallel ribs 20 are provided with openings 26a, see Fig. 6, and when the bore 22 is aligned with the openings 20a, a pivot pin or bolt 23, having a securing nut 24, is inserted therethrough. This bolt or pin provides an off-center pivot for the vacuum head or drum handling member'17, permitting it to swing with relation to its support 15 and the fork or tine 13. In other words, as viewed in Fig. 5, the pivot point of the member 17 is slightly to one side of the center thereof to compensate for any imbalance in the mass or center of gravity variation of the suction head 17, so as to vallow said head. to normallyincline upwardly in approximately the position inxwhich itis shown in Fig. 1, when not in engagement with an object to be handled, such as a drum 29. Because of this off center pivot arrangement, the head member 17 is always in readiness to be swung about its pivot and brought into intimate engagement with an article to be handled.

An elastic annulus or hollow flexible tube 25 is held in position in the recess or pocket 19 by means of, some suitable cement, orbyother suitable means. "Figs;

5, 6, and 8 show the tube'in its operative position asa part of the drum handling head or attachment 17."

at-26 toprovide an upright passage from top to bottom, being in communication at its lower end with the atmosphere, andrat its upper end, by means of a threaded nipple andcoupling member 27, with a flexible hose or conduit 23 As seen in Figs. -1,2 and 3, this hose 2-8 ex-- tends. from the vacuum head 17 to the power plant and vacuum pump assembly legend is attachedthereto in conventional manner. Since there are two forks 13 and flexible hose, or tube 25 into intimate sealing contact with I the top head 30 of drum 29. As viewedvin Figs. 5, 6

-and 8, with the tube 25 in engagement with the adjacent head '30 of drum -29, there is provided a vacuum or suctitan-space or pocket 31 located between the lower surr 4 vacuum heads each pivoted horizontally to a support and off center with relation to the head whereby said head can be swung from its normally inclined plane into either a horizontal or a vertical plane when moved into contact with a drum head to lift and/or transport the drum, and flexible, conduit means interconnecting the power plant and vacuum pump assembly with the vacuum heads whereby to selectively create a vacuum at the head or heads to cause saidhead or heads to grip a drum or drums. i

3. Steel drum handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of. the vacuum heads includes a flexible sealing membenfor engagement with a drum head to define a vacuum chamber when the sealing member is in contact with said drum headand the chamber is in com-'- munication with the vacuum pump assembly.

4. An attachment for. an industrial fork lift truck having a vertical mast and steel drum elevating means 1 thereon including a pair of forwardly directed forks and face. or face of vacuum head member 18 and the drum head 39, this space or pocket being closed and sealed by virtue of theannulus 25. With the parts in this posi tion, the creation of a vacuum within space 31 wi'l bind or seal the head 17 to the drum head 30 in readiness for the lift truck to be manipulated' to lift and transport'the drum from one location to another location. When desired, the vacuum on the drum head 30 can be broken to permit the release of the head 17 from the drum 29.

Tn Fig. 3 of the drawings, the drum handling vacuum head-17 has been broughtinto contact with the top or upper head or end 30 of a drum 29 which is standing on its end. This is illustrated clearly on a larger scale in Figs. 5, 6 and 8. When a vacuum is created in the space 31, the upright drum 29 of Fig. 3 may be lifted from the groundor other supporting surface, and shifted or transported by truck 10 to a different location and released or discharged at that location. I I

-While the truck 10 is shown as being equippedwith two vacuum heads 17, see Fig; '4, thus permitting the handling of two containers, such as the steel drums 29,'

at the same time, only a single head is often used to handle one drum at a time, since the heads 17 maybe I independently controlled.

It is important to note that the steel drumihandling'attachments 17 are so designed as to be used with conventional fork lift trucks, such as truck 10, without requiring any reorganization and/or mechanical changes of the parts or units of the trucks.

J I claim:

a power. plant and vacuum pump assembly, said attachment comprising, in combination, a hollow support telescopically engageable with the free 'end of a fork,

means carriedby the support for releasably locking the support to said fork, a vacuum head pivotally mounted upon the free end of said support at'an ofi center point intermediate opposed peripheral portions of' the head to assume its normal upwardly inclined out-of-use position while permitting it to be moved into either ahorizontal or vertical planewhen brought into contact with a drum head to lift and/ or transport the drum, flexible and compressible' means carried'by thesuction head in position to be engaged, intimately, with the drum head when the vacuum head is so brought into contact therewith, said compressible means defining an area at the under face of the vacuum head, and controlled means connecting said area with the vacuum pump for creating a vacuum in said area whereby to hold the drum to said vacuum head.

5. A steel drum handing attachment for the poweroperated forks of an industrial fork lift truck which includes a power plant and a source of'vacuum supply, a hollow metal supporting member telescoped" over the free end' of each of the truck forks, means carried by the supporting members'for releasably locking. said members to their respective forks, a vacuum" head swingably mountedby a horizontalioff center pivot pin to the free 1 end portion of each supporting.member' whereby the l. A steel drum handling attachment for use with thef 7 parallel forks of an industrial forklift truck includinga power plant and vacuum pump ass'embly,;said truck 1having a mast and means "associated therewith for raising and lowering the forks, said attachment comprising, a

quick detachable sleeve-like support telescopically engaging one of said fork-s, means on the support for releasably: locking ,the support to the fork, a drum' end-engaging ,member and remain normally in an inclined position until moved into contact with a drum, each said vacuum head havig flexible and compressible means defining a vacuum area on its under face, andmeans for supplying vacuum to the heads from the vacuum supply at predetermined times, each said head having a pair of parallel ribs on its .upper face providing bearings for .said horizontal ofi center pivot pin. a a 6. .A steel drum handling attachment for T the fork or an industrial fork type lift truck, comprising a vacuum vacuum head swingably carried by and suspendedfron'r 7 said sL PPort in its normal upwardly inclined 'out-of-use position and being adapted to be moved into flatwis'e enj gagement with a drum head to lift and/ or transport said drum, and flexible conduit means interconnecting "the vacuum'head and the vacuum ,pump assembly, the point of suspension of thevacuum head from said; support being offset from the center of said vacuum'head.

'2 Steel drum handling apparatus for use "on the parallel forks of an industrial fork lift truck which includes a power plant and vacuum pump assembly, said truck having a mast and means thereon for raising and lowering-t e prk said app atus comprising a air-of socketlike supports telescopically engaging .said parallel fo,rk,

means carriedbythe supports. for ,releasably locking the snpmr s to he fo ks-apart o l k d um ve dear:eas g head. having a body portionprovidedon its under surface.

with a flexible and compressible rings-like membegjframing an area of said nudes/surface adapted, upon use, to

be adjusted to a vacuum, andia supporting and attaching memberpivotally connected to the upper surface of the hodyportiojn-at one sideiof; the center point of said body Portion. and whose free end projects outwardly beyond the periphery of the said body portion. for removably mounting said attachment upon alift truck fork, the lo'cav tion of the pivotal connection causing said head to assume 7 an upwardly inclined out of-use' position when the attachment is mounted on such lift truck fork.

Referen ces Cited in the file of this patent pnmn sures ,P IENTS 2,347,491 'Lente V Apr. 25,1944

,.2..sz7,1 s4 1 Muellen v I, he s wss UNKTED STATES PATENT OFFICE QERTIFKCATE OF CURRECTION Patent No. 2,92%523 March 22 1960 Walton We Cushman It is hereby certified that error appears in the-printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4 line 50 for "havig" read having for "adjusted" read subjected Signed and sealed this 30th day of August .1960,

line 61,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W, SWIDER Attesting Officer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents 

